yeah that design question pissed us off heaps, we'd spent all this time learning about art history and we didn't even need to use it
hmm just a quick guide for architecture:
conceptual frames
subjective frame- is the building aesthetically pleasing? what are the sensory experiences felt when one walks through and around the space created by the architecture (eg big space, one would feel overwhelmed; small dark space, one would feel claustrophobic)? has the architect allowed his emotions/feelings to contaminate his architecture (very rare)? what was the architect's initial aims in his design, what narratives (if any) has he sought to impose in his design?
cultural frame- when was the piece of architecture designed? did the architect belong to a certain group of artists who sought to defy certain conventions/attempt to allow new freedoms of thought (e.g le corbusier and the other modernist architects)? does the architecture in any way reflect the social attitudes of the time in which it was designed?
post-modern frame- does the architecture try to defy traditional limitations and ideals of construction/design? has it been influenced by 'older' architecture (especially classical greek and roman architecture which are often precursors of modern designs..this could be done through choice of material, design of form/space, spatial configuration, colour, etc)?
structural frame- how has the architect integrated the various components of the architecture in order to produce an effective result (think about form, space, light, colour, scale, proportion, order, structure, are there any rhythms/patterns?, material)?
Practice- essentially, an architect overlooks the entire design process of a building, from initial site explorations and land surveying, to final interior/exterior finishings.
tasks which are required to be done by the architect include:
- initial site explorations
- employment of surveyor to correctly measure up site
- meetings with client to understand his/her needs and wants
- with the client's needs in mind, the architect then makes suitable designs, and makes working 3d models, computer aided/hand drawn ink plans, renderings ('artistic' drawings) and presents his/her designs to the client
- client and architect decide on the most suitable design and architect then makes final drawings and model, before the construction processes
- structural engineers, plumbers, the local/state council (for construciton permission), electricians, building construction teams, etc (i.e other professionals) are contacted and they all collaborate to work on the design
- safety inspectors check the building, and interior designers/architects are employed to provide finishing touches
obviously there are other steps but these are the essential basics. the most important thing to remember is that architects work as a team, with other professionals, and this form of 'art' is a collaborative process.
conceptual framework
artist- the architect and his/her background, whether or not they belong to a group/movement
artwork- the building/space, how aspects such as line, form, shape, material etc (as above) are important; how do they convey meaning?
world- whether or not social ideals/attitudes are inscribed in the building/space
audience- the entire world is audience to architecture; how do we respond to particular types of architecture?
anyway that's just me trying to relate architecture to the visual arts syllabus, hope it helps anyone